Palmer Ridge QB interested in hometown Buffs

Ty Evans, of Palmer Ridge, throws against Erie in the first half of the Class 3A state championship game on Dec. 2 at the Air Force Academy. (Cliff Grassmick/Daily Camera)

College football teams from around the country are interested in signing Ty Evans to play quarterback, and he'll listen to all of them.

The opportunity to play in his home state is particularly enticing, however.

Evans, a junior who led Palmer Ridge to the Class 3A state title this year, is a highly regarded recruit for the 2019 class, and very much on the radar of the Colorado Buffaloes.

"The Buffs have always been very high on my list and I got up to Boulder a couple weeks ago and sat down with (head coach Mike MacIntyre) and (co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini) and talked about the offense and went through what they're trying to do offensively and how I would fit in there," Evans said. "It was a really great conversation and I left on a really great note."

Last month, Evans helped Palmer Ridge (14-0) to the state title with a 46-21 win over Erie.

"It was probably one of the happiest days of my life, just working towards that goal for three years, not only as a program, but personally," he said. "Achieving that with all my brothers on the team, it was an amazing experience."

The 6-foot, 2.5-inch, 185-pound Evans completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,627 yards, 42 touchdowns and only seven interceptions this past season. As a sophomore, he threw for 3,130 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions.

With his junior season in the books, Evans is going through somewhat of a fresh start in the recruiting process.

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He committed to Arkansas on July 18, but on Nov. 26 - two days after the Razorbacks fired head coach Bret Bielema - Evans de-committed and opened his recruitment.

Evans said he still loves Arkansas and "it's still an option for me," but he has yet to hear from the Razorbacks' new coaching staff.

Meanwhile, several other teams, including the Buffs, are talking to him. According to 247Sports.com, he has seven offers, including from CU, Colorado State, Kansas State, North Carolina State, Northwestern and South Carolina.

"Schools are starting to hit me up again and I'm trying to start to plan visits and plan on camps this summer," he said. "Things are starting to speed up again and it's starting to build momentum again."

Evans said he feels a lot more comfortable now than he did last spring and summer.

"I feel like the first time I was very stressed out about it and I felt like I needed to rush the whole process," he said. "This time it's been a lot more relaxed honestly."

Part of the process has been renewing his interest in playing in Boulder, a place that's been on his mind for years.

"The Buffs have always been in my top three and when I made my decision on Arkansas, I was trying to decide between CU and them," he said. "They're always up there."

Although Evans' parents will move with him if he picks an out-of-state school, he said his love for the Centennial State is a factor.

"I'm Colorado born and raised," he said. "I'm proudly from the 719 and love it here."

Evans said he will give serious consideration to any school that offers him a scholarship, however.

"I feel like anybody that offers me an opportunity to play football, I feel like it's my job to get out there and see what they have to offer and not just put them on the back burner," he said.

With CU, there is plenty to like, Evans said.

"The offense that they run is very similar to the offense that I run at Palmer Ridge, so that's very appealing that I would just be able to fit right in and not learn an entirely new system," he said.

There is also familiarity with CU's new quarterbacks coach, Kurt Roper, who was hired last week. Roper spent the past two seasons as the co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at South Carolina and, while with the Gamecocks he gave Evans a scholarship offer.

"With (CU) now hiring coach Roper, it puts a spin on things," Evans said. "I'm going to go up there again and talk to coach Roper and try to build my relationship with coach Roper."

Evans said he's never met Roper in person, but, "We would text and we'd have phone calls. I'm looking forward to being able to sit down and talk with him in person. Our relationship is great so far. It's always been positive with coach Roper and I don't see that changing. I was excited about (CU hiring him), honestly. He definitely knows his stuff and I think that's an awesome hire by coach Mac."

While he does like his home-state Buffs, Evans, who will graduate early and enroll at a school next January, said he's being patient and enjoying the process.

"I realize that I do have a lot of time and I do have options," he said. "It's laying back and figuring out the best place for me and trying to make the best decision."

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